The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

  
Vol. 10, No. 4   December 2, 2003

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Deadline Quickly Approaching to Register for Annual Conference
...University Holiday Schedule
...Workshop on Funding Opportunities
...Kansas Rural Development Council Short-line Railroad Meetings
...Invitation to Open House for Nemaha County Extension Office
...E-Mail Policy
...FCS Agents Recognized
...National 4-H Camping Institute Update -- Registration Fees
...Workshop Rescheduled
...December Kansas Junior Master Gardener Newsletter Online
...FY2004 Request for Applications - Expanded Information from Last Week
...Master Schedule

...Tuesday Letter Archives

We strongly encourage you to participate in the 2004 Annual Conference. Please register online at our secure site, http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/annualconference . --George Ham gham@oznet.ksu.edu , Randy Higgins rhiggins@oznet.ksu.edu , Forrest Chumley fchumley@oznet.ksu.edu  

UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
The University will reduce activity from the close of business on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 through Friday, January 2, 2004. Although the University will close during this period, a few offices, such as the University Police, will keep a normal schedule. Since December 25 , 26 and January 1 are holidays, the only normal workdays affected will be December 29, 30, and 31, 2003 and January 2, 2004.

K-State Research and Extension's policy will be the same as the University: to close campus offices and encourage employees not to work during this period, although some employees may be asked to work. Prior approval from the departmental supervisor is required. Buildings will be locked and heat may be reduced to conserve energy. Mail delivery and processing in Umberger Hall will not be available during this time --George Ham gham@oznet.ksu.edu

WORKSHOP ON FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Brad Fenwick, Chief Scientist for USDA/National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program, will be presenting a workshop on funding opportunities at NRI. The workshop will be held in the Hemisphere Room, Hale Library, December 8, from 3 to 5 p.m. --Kim Rothwell krothwel@oznet.ksu.ed

KANSAS RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL SHORT-LINE RAILROAD MEETINGS
Since 1965, Kansas has lost 30 percent of its rail lines to abandonment. The impact of additional lost rail service will be costly, not only to producers, but to all Kansans. A recent K-State study reported that if Kansas would lose its short-line service, it could cost taxpayers an additional $57.8 million per year in road maintenance costs and another $20.7 million in grain handling costs, which would be shouldered by Kansas farmers.

Given the potential negative effects of short-line railroad abandonment on rural Kansas communities, it is important that Kansas policymakers know the effects of rail abandonment in order to develop a state rural transportation plan that effectively deals with the potential impacts. Rural Kansas counties need to know the impacts related to the loss of short-line rail service.

The Kansas Rural Development Council will be conducting a series of public meetings to discuss county specific road maintenance costs and solicit public input for future policy recommendations. Transportation experts and elected officials will be on hand to provide information and listen to your concerns and recommendations. Public and written testimony is encouraged at these forums. Representatives from producer groups, feed and grain handlers, city and county government, freight haulers, legislators and state officials are urged to attend. All testimony will be recorded, compiled and presented to state officials.

The public meeting schedule is:

Tuesday, December 16, 2003

Beloit: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
North Central Planning Commission Conference Room
109 N. Mill Street

Colby: 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Holiday Inn Express
I 70 at exit 53

Wednesday, December 17, 2003

Garden City: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Plaza Inn
1911 E. Kansas

Hutchinson: 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Holiday Inn Express
1601 Super Plaza

Please direct your questions to Steve Bittel, Executive Director of the Kansas Rural Development Council, at ksrdc@ksrdc.org , or call 785-271-2770. --Steven Graham sgraham@oznet.ksu.edu 

INVITATION TO OPEN HOUSE FOR NEMAHA COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE
The Nemaha County Extension Council and extension agents wish to invite everyone in the K-State Research and Extension family to attend an open house at their new office location in the Nemaha County Services Building, 207 Main, Seneca, on Monday, December 15, 2003, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information about the open house, contact the extension agents via e-mail or by phone, 785-336-2184. --David Key dkey@oznet.ksu.edu 

E-MAIL POLICY
From time to time, questions are raised as to the appropriate use of university or county computing resources and who has access to the information stored on these resources. Many of these questions deal directly with e-mail. The university has an e-mail policy. It can be found at http://www.ksu.edu/academicservices/docs/email.html . Local governments, such as counties, should also have e-mail or appropriate computer use policies. These policies should offer usage guidelines based on common sense and acceptable work ethics.

The following three paragraphs summarize portions of the university e-mail policy:

The university encourages the use of e-mail and respects the privacy of users. However, e-mail and other data may be accessed to troubleshoot, prevent unauthorized access or system misuse, reroute undeliverable mail, and with special authorization from the Vice Provost for Academic Services and Technology, access may be granted to investigate alleged violations of law, to comply with legal requests and retrieve university business.

The K-State e-mail policy makes allowances for incidental personal purposes as long as it does not interfere with university operations or burden the University with incremental costs.

"To the greatest extent possible in a public setting, individuals' privacy should be preserved. However, there is no expectation of privacy or confidentiality for documents and messages stored on University equipment."

County information technology policies should be consulted to see how local expectations are handled. Remember that county servers may not be owned by K-State, so additional reading may be necessary to determine local policies.

Administrators, supervisors, or others who authorize access to e-mail without cause, risk losing the trust and respect of those they work with and may be violating established policies. --Roger V. Terry rterry@oznet.ksu.edu 

FCS AGENTS RECOGNIZED
All of us know the wonderful work Kansas extension agents do, but it's nice to be recognized beyond our state too. At the Regional level, Family and Consumer Science agents Donna Martinson (Geary County) and Lisa Farmer (Wyandotte County) received first place ratings on their communication entries. Donna submitted a written news article and Lisa submitted a newsletter. At the National level, Lisa's newsletter received 2nd place and Donna's news article ranked 3rd. Please join me in congratulating these fellow professionals! --Patricia Gerhardt pgerhard@oznet.ksu.edu 

NATIONAL 4-H CAMPING INSTITUTE UPDATE -- REGISTRATION FEES
The National 4-H Camping Institute takes place February 7-11, 2004, at Rock Springs 4-H Center. Please review the website, www.oznet.ksu.edu/4h/NCI/NCIhomepage.htm , for additional information. Workshops will be posted on the web by mid-late December.

The Early Bird Registration deadline date has been extended to January 14. The Late Registration Fee will be in effect for registrations postmarked January 15, 2004 through January 30, 2004.

We have exciting news regarding the newly implemented Part-Time and Daily Registration Fees for Kansas residents only!!! Many of you have indicated an interest in attending NCI on a part-time basis. Plus, we'd greatly appreciate your help and support by sharing this information with youth organizations, human service agencies, city parks & recreation departments, ministerial alliances, and other entities in your counties who have camping programs.

KANSAS RESIDENTS ONLY:
Part-Time (Monday-Wednesday, February 9-11): $175
Part-Time (Monday & Tuesday, February 9-10): $140
Daily Fee: $100

Registration forms can be printed from the web site. Please make checks payable to the Kansas 4-H Foundation. Registrations are to be sent to Shawna Mitchell, McPherson County.

We're excited that registrations have already been received from fifteen states! Those states include Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Oregon, New York, Washington, and West Virginia.

On behalf of the State 4-H Camp Action Team, I thank you for your help and support in marketing this unique professional and staff development opportunity to your partnering agencies and organizations. --Pat McNally pmcnally@oznet.ksu.edu 

WORKSHOP RESCHEDULED
"Discovering Your Personality Spectrum" Certification Course, originally scheduled for December 10 and 11, has been RESCHEDULED for April 14 and 15, 2004. The workshop will be held at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center in Wichita. For questions, contact Reba White at rswhite@oznet.ksu.edu . --Jodi Besthorn besthorn@oznet.ksu.edu 

DECEMBER KANSAS JUNIOR MASTER GARDENER NEWSLETTER ONLINE
The December edition of the Kansas Junior Master Gardener newsletter is now available online at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/dp_4hyp/JMG/Newsletters/current.htm . Topics in the December issue include Christmas plants, holiday gift ideas from the Junior Master Gardener curriculum, gardening grant opportunities, and a recipe for Three Sisters Soup. --Evelyn Neier eneier@oznet.ksu.edu 

FY2004 REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS - EXPANDED INFORMATION FROM LAST WEEK
The FY2004 National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program offers opportunities for mission-linked, applied, integrated programs for extension, research and instruction faculty and staff.

The National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program FY2004 Request For Applications (RFA) is now posted at www.reeusda.gov/nri .

The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) requests applications for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 National Research Initiative (NRI) Competitive Grants Program.  Applications must be received by the date appropriate to your program area listed at the end of the FY2004 Request for Applications (RFA).  (There are 5 deadlines ranging from January 9 to June 15, 2004)

*Note that internal deadlines will be set in advance of dates listed in federal guidelines, so allow for processing time.  For help or assistance, please feel free to contact our K-State Research and Extension Grants and Contracts Office; (Charisse - 785-532-7675); (Carol - 785-532-0784); or (Randy - 785-532-7103).

There is no commitment by USDA/CSREES to fund any particular proposal or to make a specific number of awards.  USDA/CSREES anticipates approximately $120 - 150 million (depending on the action of Congress) will be available for new awards for the FY2004 award cycle. --Randy Higgins rhiggins@oznet.ksu.edu

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS . 

Submit corrections to previously submitted items to jzarger@oznet.ksu.edu .

DATES TAKEN FROM THE MASTER SCHEDULE FOR DECEMBER 10, 2003, THROUGH DECEMBER 16, 2003:

Wednesday, December 10
.... SE FCS Program Update/Planning, Cottonwood Falls/CS, SE Area, 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Gayle Price gprice@oznet.ksu.edu

Friday, December 12, through Saturday, December 13
.... KSU Commencement, Manhattan

Tuesday, December 16
.... SW Area Agronomy Update, Garden City (SW Area Office), 9:00 a.m., Curtis Thompson cthompso@oznet.ksu.edu
.... Weed Management School, Grainfield/GO, NW Area, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Brian Olson bolson@oznet.ksu.edu

Tuesday, December 16, through Thursday, December 18
.... Managing Soil and Applied Nutrients, Salina, Statewide, Dale Leikam dleikam@ksu.edu

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